1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable electronic device including a body and a display portion which is openably and closably provided with respect to the body, and an electronic device battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, many types of portable electronic devices have been on sale. Sophisticated electronic devices having built therein a central processing unit (CPU) are available. Such electronic devices consume a large amount of electrical power when they are driven.
For example, a portable computer, being a type of portable electronic device, includes a body and a display portion that can be opened and closed with respect to the display portion through hinges. A typical example of such portable computers is the so-called notebook personal computer.
In order to drive the body and the display portion of such portable computers, batteries are mounted to such portable computers. A battery pack, for driving the body and the display portion, is set, for example, at the outer portion of the body. Such battery packs range from those having a large capacity to those having a small capacity. When the capacity of the battery pack is to be made large, many battery cells are mounted, resulting in an externally large and heavy battery pack. When, on the other hand, the capacity of the battery pack is to be made small, a small number of battery cells are mounted, resulting in a relatively externally small and light battery pack.
Since a large capacity battery pack contains a large number of battery cells, the battery cells are in general placed in a plurality of rows.
An example of a portable computer provided with such a battery pack is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-76898. The battery pack 2004, disclosed therein, is electrically connected to the body 2000 of the computer, as shown in FIGS. 27 and 28.
However, the use of such a battery pack 2004 results in the following problem. The battery pack 2004 is integrally formed with the body 2000 of the computer, and the entire battery pack 2004 is rotatably mounted to the computer body 2004. By rotating the entire battery pack 2004 with respect to the body 2000 in the direction of arrow Y, the back end portion of the body 2000 is supported above, for example, a desk, and tilted. Accordingly, the heavy battery pack 2004, as a whole, must be rotated with respect to the body 2000. Therefore, the computer has poor operability.
In the portable computer of FIGS. 27 and 28, the battery pack 2004 is mounted to the back end of the body 2000. The battery pack 2004 is positioned at the back ends of the body 2000 and the display portion 2004. The entire battery pack 2004 can be rotated with respect to the body 2000 and the display portion 2003 by an angle of 90 degrees in the direction of arrow Y of FIG. 27. Such rotation of the battery pack 2004 causes the back end of the body 2000 to be raised from a supporting surface and the body 2000 to be tilted.
When such a structure is adopted, the entire battery pack 2004 must be electrically and mechanically, as well as rotatably, connected to the back end of the body 2000. Therefore, it is necessary to provide rotating electrodes 2005 at the battery pack 2004, as well as rotating connectors 2006 at the body 2000 side. Accordingly, since it is necessary to provide a structure for rotatably and removably mounting the battery pack 2004 to the body 2000, as well as special coaxial, circular rotating electrodes 2005 and rotating connectors 2006, the structure becomes very complicated, and electrical contact failure may result between the rotating electrodes 2005 and the rotating connectors 2006 when the battery pack 2004 is repeatedly rotated.
In the conventional structure, it is necessary to rotatably support the battery pack 2004, and use a special annular contact structure for maintaining rotatable electrical contact. As a result, for example, the structure becomes complicated, a larger number of parts are used, production costs are increased, the relatively massive battery pack 2004 becomes less durable as a result of concentrated stress exerted thereon when it is supported.